Find out how Chickpet Assembly Constituency is faring and what the major issues are in this constituency. Learn about the incumbent MLA and BJP candidate Uday B Garudachar (BJP) and other candidates – R V Devaraj (INC), Brijesh Kalappa (AAP), and Imran Pasha (JDS).

About the constituency

Chickpet, at the heart of the city, is one of the oldest localities in Bengaluru. The market and its immediate surrounding areas are predominantly commercial areas, well known for its wholesale markets, which sell fruits and flowers to clothing to hardware and electronic items. There are pockets of diverse residential areas across the constituency. The famous Karaga procession happens here.

The Chickpet assembly constituency, a general category seat, extends from Chickpet to Jayanagar and Basavanagudi on the southern edge. Shantinagar and Wilson Garden on its eastern edge and Chamrajapet on its western side.

Large government hospitals, such as NIMHANS, Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma, Kidwai, etc are a part of this constituency. Ashoka pillar, Wilson Garden burial ground, Passport Seva Kendra, etc are some of its famous landmarks.

As per the delimitation exercise of 2022, the 7 wards under Chickpet assembly constituency are: 171-Sudham Nagara, 172-Dharmaraya Swamy Temple Ward, 173-Sunkenahalli, 174-Vishveshwara Puram, 175-Ashoka Pillar, 176-Someshwara Nagar, 177-Hombegowda Nagara.

The Chickpet ward comes under Gandhinagar Assembly constituency.

At a glance

Constituency Name	Chickpet
Constituency No	169
Constituency Area (in sq.km)	10.9 sq km
Number of voters (January 2023)	2,13,066
Male voters	1,08,852
Female voters	1,04,197
Other voters	17

Data for all 28 constituencies can be found here. Corresponding source: ceo.karnataka.gov.in

Key issues in the constituency

The Silver Jubilee Park has become a dump for garbage and debris. Sewage overflowing in the area has become a common sight, causing much grief to the traders in the area. Traders added that footpaths have not been desilted and BWSSB and BBMP are quick to pass the buck.

Sunekahalli ward, which is home to the Kempambudhi Lake, faces issues of lake grab, traffic chaos, and poor waste disposal. Neglected BBMP schools, black spots and bad roads are other issues residents here face.

At a Janaspandana, organised by DH-Prajavani, the residents of the constituency met the MLA with their list of grievances that included wandering cattle, haphazard parking, temple built illegally.

Irregular water supply and availability of clean drinking water, blocked drains, bad roads, sewage overflowing from manholes, also are issues faced by the constituents.

Key parameters – How does this constituency fare? 

*Based on their performance in each sector, constituencies are divided into three groups. High=top nine constituencies; Medium = mid nine constituencies; Low = bottom nine constituencies. A ‘High’ rating does not necessarily mean the constituency is doing well; it only means that the constituency is among the top nine constituencies for that parameter.

Schooling

Metrics / Count	Rating*
21 Govt Schools 1 school for 0.52 sq Km	High

Chickpet constituency, given its area v/s the number of government schools, is one of the top 9 constituencies rated ‘High’.

Mobility

Metrics / Count	Rating*
3 Metro Stations	No Rating
43 Bus Stops	Medium
60.62 Bus trips per 100 residents daily	High

Chickpet has three Metro stations. The constituency rated ‘medium’ in terms of number of bus stops per sq km. It is rated ‘high’ for the number of trips per 100 residents daily.

Citizen engagement

Metrics / Count	Rating*
Voter turnout 2013: 57.98% 2018: 56.42%	Medium
7 wards held 203 meetings in the last 2 years	High
29 meetings	High

Voter turnout in the constituency has marginally decreased by 2.7%. However, Chickpet was among the constituencies with the higher number of ward committee meetings: 203, between 2020 and 2022.

Health

We have not rated public health infrastructure as the data available was inadequate, and the data is simply presented as is.

Metrics / Count	Rating*
3 Namma clinics	–
12 UPHCs	–
36 Anganawadis	–
5 BBMP hospitals (general and maternity)	–

Please note that the number of PHCs or Namma Clinic within a constituency is not sufficient to draw conclusions about the state of healthcare. We also need data on the availability of staff and their capacity, medicines, equipment, diagnostic facilities. Quality is also determined by the distribution and access of these facilities within the area, the efforts in preventive/promotive healthcare and community participation, in addition to the process challenges, for e.g., insistence of Aadhar or Thayi cards.

Click here for the details on how all constituencies fare and their source(s)

Constituency map

Citizen demands

Traders around SJP road want the garbage, stormwater drains and overflowing sewage dealt with. While citizens from other parts of the constituency want regular clean water supply, garbage clearance, better roads, and traffic management to make their life easier.

Incumbent MLA: Uday B Garudachar

Uday Garudachar, a member of the BJP, is the sitting MLA of Chickpet Assembly constituency. In 2008, he unsuccessfully contested the Rajya Sabha elections from Bihar and was unsuccessful once again in 2013, but this time from Chickpet Assembly constituency. A businessman, he has a BE from Bangalore University. He has three cases filed against him and was convicted in one, related to a false affidavit filed for elections.

Work in the term

Notable work done in the term includes the new Kalasipalaya bus terminal. Expected to benefit thousands of commuters. It was inaugurated in February 2023. It was expected to be ready by December 2018.

Renovation of V V Puram’s food street was kicked off by the MLA. A grant of Rs 6 crore from the MLA LAD funds was allocated for this purpose.

In the news

1. Last year, the MLA was sentenced to time in prison for hiding information for his election affidavit, regarding pending criminal cases and not disclosing his wife’s bank details as she was also a director in one of his companies.
2. The MLA was also in the news for standing up for Muslim traders, during a temple festival, after a boycott call was issued by right wing outfits. Though he was a part of the COVID war room controversy, the MLA later said that MP Tejasvi Surya was wrong in singling out Muslims. He believes that he shares a good rapport with the Muslim population in his constituency.
3. The MLA was in the news for getting bollards removed – these were set up for cyclists by DULT. He also allegedly distributing cookers to his constituents ahead of the elections, but claimed that it was gifts given for during the festival.
4. Uday Garudachar was also in the news for attending a blood donation camp, along with other BJP leaders, organised by rowdy sheeter Silent Sunil. The party president had said that they would look into the matter and seek an explanation.
5. The MLA has been in the news for the EWS quarters redevelopment. The quarters, a public-private-partnership (PPP) by BBMP and his company Maverick Holdings is yet to see the light of day, even after ten years since the residents were evicted. Last year, the Lokaykta recommended that the state government terminate the contract to protect the interests of the 1.5K families, who were waiting for a home.

Questions raised in the Assembly

1. He talked about the new Kalasipalaya bus terminal, which is expected to benefit thousands of commuters.
2. He requested the Minister of Health and Family welfare to allow multi-system treatments in hospitals under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act.

List of candidates

Incumbent MLA: Uday Garudachar, BJP

Uday Garudachar was a first time MLA in 2018.

• Education: B.E. from Bangalore University
• Profession: Businessman
• Online: https://www.facebook.com/BGUdayBJP ; Twitter – https://twitter.com/BGUdayBJP
• Political experience: Political Experience: He contested unsuccessfully in 2013 and in 2018 he was elected MLA. In 2008, he had unsuccessfully contested for Rajyasabha elections from Bihar.

Wealth declaration 

Details	Holdings in 2018	Holdings in 2023	Change in %
Movable Assets	135.19 Cr	161.12Cr	19.18% increase
Immovable property	60.89 Cr	80.47 Cr	32.14% increase
Liabilities	59.70 Cr	50.75 Cr	14.99% decrease
Total assets	136.38 Cr	153 Cr	12.19% increase

Source: https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/

Candidate: R V Devaraj, INC

• Education: BA
• Online: https://www.facebook.com/rvdevrajinc ; Twitter – https://twitter.com/rv_devraj
• Profession: Business, Agriculture
• Net worth: 97 Cr
• Political Experience: R V Devaraj is the General Secretary of KPCC and Member of AICC. He was elected MLA twice from Chamrajpet Constituency and once from Chickpet Constituency in 2013. He has also served as the KSRTC Chairman.

Candidate: Brijesh Kalappa, AAP

Brijesk Kalappa is a senior Supreme Court lawyer.

• Education: BA LLB
• Online: Twitter – @brijeshkalappa
• Profession: Advocate
• Net worth: 11 Cr
• Political Experience: Ended his 25 year long association with the INC and joined AAP.

Candidate: Imran Pasha, JD (S)

Imran Pasha is the JDS State Secretary and a former corporator from Padarayanapura who was also the Chairman of the BBMP Education Standing Committee

• Education: BA
• Online:  https://www.facebook.com/ImranArifPasha/  Twitter – https://twitter.com/Imranpasha3032
• Profession: Business and Social worker
• Net worth: 5.71 crore
• Political experience:

Full list of candidates  

https://affidavit.eci.gov.in/

Past elections results

2018	Candidate	Sex	Party	Age	Vote Share (%)
1	Uday B. Garudachar	M	BJP	53	44.46%
2	R. V. Devraj	M	INC	60	38.3%
3	Mujahid Pasha A	M	SDPI	36	9.08%
4	Dr D.Hemachandra Sagar	M	JD(S)	64	1.04%

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